Reference Manual (API Version 1.6)

Notice: the Web Services API will be upgraded on February 7, 2017. See the API Version 1.7 page for more information.

O*NET Web Services uses a RESTful web services API. Currently all resources are read-only and accessed with the GET method. Access is limited to registered developers; you can obtain access credentials and instructions by signing up for the developer program. Before you sign up, you can try our interactive demo to see the API in action.

This response provides version information for the data returned through these services. Two elements are returned:

The taxonomy element specifies the version of the O*NET-SOC taxonomy, which determines the set of O*NET-SOC codes and titles in use. The url attribute links to the O*NET Resource Center, where detailed information and taxonomy history may be found.

The database element indicates the version of the O*NET database in use. The database includes information such as KSA, Job Zone, and Interest ratings, which are updated more frequently than the taxonomy. The url attribute links to the O*NET Resource Center, where the full O*NET Database may be downloaded in several formats.

The api_version element indicates the version of the Web Services API in use. This number is incremented only when the structure of the web services responses are changed, not when the data is updated.

My Next Move for Veterans services

O*NET OnLine services

Error handling

<error>The required parameter "keyword" was not provided.</error>

Error conditions in the web services API are indicated with HTTP status codes. When a client calls a service incorrectly, an error response may be returned, along with a 422 status code. This can happen when:

A required parameter (such as the keyword parameter in the Search careers service) is not provided, or a parameter was not formatted correctly.

Information is requested for a non-existent or obsolete O*NET-SOC code.

No data is available for a particular career or parameter. For example, no Knowledge data is available for Legislators.

As with any web service, clients should also be prepared to handle other HTTP errors, such as 404 or 500. Only errors with a 422 code will contain an XML error response.